NATO expands Iraq role

September 23, 2004|By New York Times News Service.

PARIS — NATO agreed Wednesday to the outlines of a military officer training program in Iraq, expanding the alliance's presence there after overcoming resistance from several members, most notably France.

Under the agreement, about 300 NATO officers will be sent to Iraq to set up and administer a military academy at Rustamaniya, outside Baghdad. The academy will help prepare mid-level and senior officers in Iraq's security forces.

"Today's decision by NATO to establish a major collective training program marks a major step by the alliance," Nicholas Burns, the U.S. ambassador to NATO, said in a statement.

About 40 NATO officers are already in Iraq to set up a mission headquarters. The mission will be an addition to the Multinational Security Transition Command operated by the United States and its allies in Iraq, which is in charge of training and equipping more than 250,000 members of the Iraqi police, border patrol, National Guard and army. That effort is short of manpower and far behind schedule.